Carrier rod driving and control mechanism



Apr 299 11ML A. F. VERBEEK gw CARRIER ROD DRIVING AND CONTROL MECHANISMFiled July l0, 1940 Patented pr. 29, 1941 CARRIER ROD DRIVING ANDCONTROL MECHANISM arnold Friedrich Verbeek, berlungwitz, Germany,assigner to Kallo, a corporation of New York Inc., New York, N. Y.,

Application July 10, 1940, Serial No. 344,725 In Germany February 24,1939 Claims.

The'present invention relates to improvements in driving and controlmechanism for the-carrier rods of a flat knitting machine, and is hereinmore particularly disclosed as embodied in a multiple sectionfull-fashioned hosiery machine. Applicants disclosure is in manyrespects similar to that of the patent to Karl Richard Lieberknecht, No,2,150,931, dated March 21, 1939. It will be understood that while thepresent invention may be regarded as an improvement over.

the driving and control mechanism illustrated in that patent, theseveral features of the present invention are not limited to thespecific construction shown, and may well be applied to other types ofknitting machines havinga multiplicity of reciprocable yarn carrierrods.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a novel andimproved driving mechanism for the carrier rods in a flat knittingmachine which is simple and compact in construction, embodies therein aminimum number and weight of the moving parts, and is well adapted forautomatic operation in connection with the pattern controls for themachine to connect and disconnect selected carrier rods from activeoperation.

In multiple section flat knitting machines of this general type, thereare usually provided a number of friction driving devices which arearranged to reciprocate across selected knitting sections along thelength of the machine, each of these friction driving devices beingarranged to be operatively connected with one or more selected carrierrod of the nine such rods provided, for example, in the illustratedmachine, and which extend along the length of the several knittingsections. In these machines the knitting yarns are brought from a sourceof supply which may be a humidied box at the rear side of the rnachineover the top of the machine and thence downwardly between adjacentcarrier rods to the yarn guides of each knitting section which in theirtraversing movements carry the guided yarns extending downwardly fromabove the machine along with them over the length of the knittingsection. It will readily be seen that on any knit- `ting sectionopposite which such a driving device s operated, the driving connectionsparticularly :with any one of the forward yarn carriers, that is, thoseremote from the friction driving device, must extend across the path ofmovement of the guided yarns, and will tend to interfere with thefeeding of the yarn to the yarn guides supported lby the rear carrierrods.

It is a-further object of the invention to prowide an improved drivingand control mechanism for the carrier rods in a machine of this generaltype, having provision for selective engagement and disengagement of thefriction driving device with its selected carrier rod or rods which isconstructed and arranged as t0 entirely remove the driving connectionsfor the idled carrier rods from the path of movement of all the knittingyarns extending downwardly to the yarn guides associated with each ofthe several knitting sections.

With these and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear, theseveral features of the invention consist also in the devices,combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed,which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby will bereadily understood by one skilled in the art from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in whichFig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a multiple section flatfull-fashioned knitting machine illustrating particularly the drivingdevice having provision for connection with two of the carrier rods, andillustrating a, portion of the pattern actuated control mechanism forconnecting and disconnecting the drive for these. rods, only so much ofthe machine being illustrated as is believed necessary to show theconnection of the present invention therewith; Fig. 2 is a section takenon the line 2-2 driving position; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.

2, but with both driving lingers shown in their fully retracted positionout of the path of movement of all of the knitting yarns extendingdownwardly to the several yarn guides; Fig. 4 is a section taken on theline t-dl of Fig. 1, illustrating particularly the pattern controlmechanism for sluiting the driving fingers between their operative andinoperative positions, the parts, however, being shown in a somewhatdifferentposition in which the more forwardly extending driving fingeris shifted to inoperative position, and the shorter or more rearwarddriving finger is in its operative position; and Fig. 5 is a plan viewillustrating the driving connection and pattern control therefor forracking the supplemental overhead pattern shaft of the machine. v

The carrier rod driving and control mechanism illustrated in thedrawings as embodying in a preferred form the several features of theinvention, is of the general type illustrated in the Lieberknecht patentabove referred to, comprislng a driving slide which is arranged to beoperatively connected with a driving friction box supported on afriction driving rod, and which in turn has supported thereon one ormore driving fingers which are arranged to be moved into and out ofoperative engagement with selected carrier rods. As in the patentreferred to, connection is made between the driving slide and thefriction box by means of a pivotally supported connecting arm which isautomatically controlled through connections including a pattern cam ona pattern shaft extending lengthwise of the machine. In accordance withone feature of the invention, additional pattern controls-are hereinprovided for automatically moving the driving fingers selectivelybetween operative carrier rod engaging positions and retractedinoperative positions. With this construction and arrangement of thedriving mechanism, applicant is enabled to disconnect all of' the movingparts 0f the driving device from the friction box to render the sameinoperative without the necessity of disconnecting the friction itself,and is further able through the operation of pattern con-- trois torender any selected carrier rod driven through the particular drivingdevice selectively operative and inoperative.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the patterncontrols for connecting and disconnecting the driving device, and moreparticularly for selectively connecting and disconnecting the carrierrods to the driving device, are so constructed and arranged as to reduceto a minimum the num-ber and weight of the parts which would be requiredto reciprocate with the driving device, and thereby to reduce so far aspossible the inertia. of the parts and fthe consequent load transmittedthrough the friction boxes and the reciprocating friction driving rod.To

this end the pattern cams and followers for operating the severalcontrol instrumentalities are flxedly supported endwise of the machineon the pattern shaft, and a connection is made to the connecting arm andto the several driving fingers through mechanism including actuatingbars or rods extending along the length of the traversing path of thedriving device, and actuating connections on the driving slide disposedfor constant riding engagement with said shafts or bars.

In accordance with another feature of the in- Vention, the severaldriving fingers are supported on the driving slide at one side of theseveral carrier rods, and are arranged to be moved into inoperativepositions in which all parts of the driving fingers are removed from thepath of all of the knitting yarns extending downwardly through thecarrier rods to the several yarn guides of the associated knittingsection.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, Fig. l illustrates in plan afragmentary view of a flat full-fashioned knitting machine which issimilar to that, for example, illustrated in the Lieberknecht patentabove referred to, having nine carrier rods numbered consecutively oneto nine, these rods in the present machine, however, being illustratedin a flat rather than an inclined bank. On each of the carrier rodsthere is provided a dog comprising an upwardly extending element slottedto receive the cooperating driving finger, and having the opposite sidesthereof cammed to permit the associated driving finger to ride into itsslot in the event that the finger is dropped into its operating positionprior ,to

the movement of the driving device including the driving nger intoposition of accurate register with the associated dog. These dogs asshown in Fig. 1, are numbered la. to 9a inclusive. The driving devicecomprises a driving slide 2U sleeved to slide on a shaft22 rigidly fixedin and forming a part of the rigid structure of the machine. Adownwardly extending forked lug 24 formed on the slide 20 engaging alengthwise extending rod 26 serves to key the slide against rotationalmove' ment on the shaft 22. A forwardly extending frame 28 forming partof the slide 20 provides support for a pivot shaft 30 on which ismounted two driving fingers 32 and 34 arranged for operative connectionrespectively with dogs 5a and la on carrier rods 5 and I. Also supportedon the pivot shaft 361s a connecting arm 36 which is arranged forengagement with a slot 38 formed in the front face of a friction box 40carried on the usual reciprocating friction rod 42 of the machine. Itwill be understood that while only one driving device 20 and itsassociated friction box 40 have been illustrated in the drawings,similar driving devices and associated friction boxes may be providedalong the length of the machine for driving the remaining carrier rods,requiring only a duplication of the parts shown. It will also beunderstood that while two driving fingers 32 and 34 only have beenillustrated as supported on the driving device, a greater or lessnumberof such driving ngers may be provided on the particular drivingdevice, depending only upon the requirements of the particular machine,the addition of such other driving fingers requiring only a furtherduplication of the parts shown.

'I'he entire driving device including the slide 20 is arranged to beautomatically connected and disconnected from active operation by meansof pattern controls originating from the main pattern chain 46 of themachine as shown in Fig. 5. 'Ihese connections include the connectingarm 3B, the rearward extension of which is arranged for slidingengagement beneath a control rod 48 extending the length of thetraversing movement of the driving device and supported at opposite endson lever arms 50 and 52 rigidly secured to a rock shaft 54 on themachine. bearings for this shaft forming part of the machine frame isindicated at 56 in Fig. 1. The shaft 54 is rocked to cause theconnecting arm 36 to lbe moved to a raised inoperative position by meansof a cam lever 60 secured to the rock shaft 54 and arranged forengagement with a cam 62 on a pattern shaft 64 extending along thelength of the machine. One of the supporting bearings for the shaft 64forming part of the machine frame is indicated at 66 in Fig. 1. Atension spring 68 connected at one end to the rearwardly extending armof the connecting arm 36, and at its other end to the frame 28, tends tomaintain the rearward extension in engaging 4contact with the controlrod 48, and to force the forward end thereof downwardly into operative Yposition when permitted by the raising of the rod 48 to the positionshown in Fig. 2. A heavier spring 'l0 acting on the rock shaft 54 tendsto rotate the same in a clockwise direction to maintain the cam lever 60in engaging contact with its cam 62. As shown in Fig. 3, the cam lever60 has passed onto a low portion of its cam, permitting the rock shaft54 to turn in a clockwise direction under the influence of its spring,thus disconnecting the connecting arm 36 from the friction box 40. Itwill be noted that the cam 62 is built up with individual segments 12which may be interchangeably supported on the cam disk 62 in order topermit an easy adjustment of the timing of the pattern control foroperatively connecting and disconnecting the carrier rod driving device.

The forward wall of the friction box 40 is pro- One of the supportinglvided at each end thereof with downwardly cammed surfaces '|4, so thatin the event that the connecting arm 36 is dropped into its operativeposition prior to the movement of thefriction box into registertherewith. the connecting arm I6 riding on the surfaces 14 will belifted against the pressure of its spring 66, and then dropped intolocking engagement with the slot 36.

The pattern mechanism for controlling the movement of the connectingfingers 32 and I4 between their operative and inoperative positions,comprises actuating levers 'I6 and ,1I keyedrto rotate with and to slideaxially with relation to squared rock shafts 90 and 82 respectively,which extend lengthwise of the machine, and are rotatably supported atopposite ends in bracket I4 and 86 secured to the shaft 22. A rearwardlyextending forked lug 86 on the slide 20 provides end thrust bearing forthe. control levers 16 and 18 to cause these levers to move axially withthe driving device. At their free ends the control levers 'I6 and '|8are connected throug pin and slot connections respectively with links 96and 92 which at their forward ends are in turn pivotally connected tothe driving fingers 34 and 32. A tension spring 94 connected at one endto the link 92 and at its other end to the lever 'I8 tends to maintainthe link in a relatively retracted position with relation to itsactuating lever 18. Similarly, a tension spring 96 connected at one endto the link 96 and at its other end to the actuating lever 16 tends tomaintain the link 9|) ina relatively retracted position with relation toits actuating lever '|6. The angular position of the squared rock shaft86 is controlled by means of a pattern cam on the pattern shaft 64through connections which include a lever arm secured to the rock shaft80, a link |62 connecting the lever |06 with the downwardly extendingarm of a three-armed lever |64 pivotally mounted on the pattern shaft64. The upwardly ,extending arm of the lever |64 is connected by a link|66 with a pattern lever |08 pivoted on the shaft 54, and is arrangedfor engagement with a cam rise H6 on a cam disk on the pattern shaft 64.A tension spring H2 connected at one end to a forwardly extending armoi' the threearmed lever |64, and at its other end to a bracket 66 tendsto maintain the cam lever |68 in engagement with its cam disk. 'Ihesquared rock shaft 62 for controlling the operation of the drivingfinger 32 is similarly controlled from the pattern shaft 64 throughconnections including a lever arm ||6 on the rock shaft 42, a link H6, athree-armed lever |26, a link |22, a cam lever |24, a spring |26, and anactuating cam |22 onA the pattern shaft 6|.

The construction and arrangement of these connections is such that thedriving fingers 32 and 34 will be moved selectively between thealternative operating positions shown in Fig. 2, and the inoperativepositions shown in Fig. 3, in which the driving fingers have each beenmoved more than 90 in a. counterclockwise direction, thus swinging thementirely out oi' the path of all of the knitting yarns extendingdownwardly in the machine through the several carrier rods to theassociated yarn guides, two of which are designated at |36 and |32 inFigs. 2 and 3. The path followed by the yarns carried by thesepartisular yarn guides is shown in dot-and-dash lines |34, |36. Inasmuchas these yarns extend to guides on carrier rods and 6 respectively, andsince all of the remaining yarns will be located within the zone thusmarked out, it will ing a traversing movement of the same.

readily be seen that the driving lingers in their inoperative positionare entirely outside of the path of all of the knitting yarns. Theyielding connection above described between actuating levers 16 and 16and links 90 and 92 respectively, permit of a delayed operation of thepattern mechanism in shifting the driving fingers to the inoperativeposition, such withdrawal taking place only when excessive resistance tosuch with-'- drawal is removed. Such resistance may be provided by theengaging contact between the finger and its cooperating dog on thecarrier rod dur- This frictional resistance is, of course, dissipatedand the driving finger can be withdrawn under the influence of itsspring 92 or 94 when the friction driving rod 42 has reached the limitof its travel in either direction.

The pattern shaft 64 is given a step-by-step movement from the main camshaft of the machine through a pawl and ratchet mechanism which iscontrolled from the main pattern chain 46 of the machine. A ratchet |46is secured to the pattern shaft 64, and is arranged to be acted upon bya pawl |42 on a pawl carrier l|44 pivotally supported on the shaft 64.The pawl carrier |44 is in turn connected through a link |46 to a camlever |48 pivotally supported on a bracket |56 secured to thev lowerrear rail |52 forming part of the frame of the machine, The connectionof the link |46 at its upper end with the pawl carrier |44 is shown inFig. 1. The connection of the link |46 at its lower end with therearwardly extending arm of the cam lever |48 is shown in Fig. 5. Thecam lever |46 has mounted on its forward end a pivot pin |64 supportinga cam roller |56 which is axially adjustable thereon into and out ofoperative engagement with a cam |68 on the main cam shaft |66 of themachine. A tension spring |62 connected to the cam lever |46 tends tomaintain the roller in engagement with its cam. The mechanism forshifting the roller |56 into and out of operative position, comprises ashifting fork |64, an axially movable shifting rod |66 to which theshifting fork is secured, bell-crank |66, link |10, bellcrank |72, link|14, and a pattern lever |16 which is in turn controlled byappropriately located bumps on the main pattern chain 46 of the machine.These parts are all shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. This iigure alsodiscloses the lower front rail forming part of the usual frameconstruction of these machines. As best shown in Fig. l of the drawing,the cam shaft 64 is held in each successive racked position by means ofa detent pawl |62 and ratchet |84 which may be of ordinary construction.

. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specicembodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefromwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a at knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods and yarn guides supported thereby, a reciprocating friction rod,and a rotating main cam shaft, a friction device carried by the frictionrod, a driving slide connected to be driven by the friction rod, aplurality of driving fingers on the slide detachably connectible withselected carrier rods to drive the same, and automatic means to permitthe driving fingers selectively to engage their carrier rods.

2. In a flat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods and yarn guides supa rotating main cam shaft, a friction devicecarried by the friction rod, a driving slide, a plurality of drivingfingers on the slide detachably connectible with selected carrier rodsto drive the same, 'a connecting arm detachably connecting the frictiondevice and driving slide, automatic means to permit the connecting armto engage the friction device during a traverse of the latter, andautomatic means to permit the driving fingers selectively to engagetheir carrier rods.

3. In a fiat knitting machine having a reciprocable carrier rod, areciprocating friction rod, a main cam shaft, a friction device carriedby the friction rod for driving the slide detachably connecting thecarrier rod to move with the slide, a connecting arm detachablyconnecting the friction device and the driving slide, automatic means topermit the connecting arm to engage the friction device during atraverse of the latter, and automatic means to permit the driving fingerto engage with the carrier rod.

4. In a nat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods, a reciprocating friction rod and a rotating main cam shaft, afriction device carried by the friction rod, a driving device arrangedto be driven from the friction device comprising a plurality of drivingfingers shiftable into and out of operative engagement with selectedcarrier rods to drive the same, and automatic means for moving saiddriving fingers selectively into and out of operative engagement withtheir selected carrier rods, said automatic means including connectionsfor shifting the driving fingers between carrier rod engaging positionand inoperative position wholly removed from the path of movement of thefeeding yarns extending to all of the yarn guides.

5. In a fiat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods arranged in parallel relationship and yarn guides supported therebyfor guiding yarns passing downwardly 'between the carrier rods to theguides, a reciprocating friction rod and a rotating main cam shaft, afriction device carried by the friction rod, a driving slide, aplurality of driving ngers on the slide operable for detachablyconnecting selected carrier rods to move with the slide, meansconnecting the slide to be driven by the friction device, and automaticmeans for selectively shifting the driving fingers into and out ofoperative engagement with their carrier rods, said automatic meansincluding connections operable to shift the inactive driving fingersentirely to one side of said parailel carrier rods, and out of the pathof movement of all of the yarns extending downwardly to the several yarnguides.

6. In a fiat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods arranged in parallel relationship and yarn guides supported therebyfor guiding yarns passing downwardly between the carrier rods to theguides, a reciprocating friction rod and a rotating main cam shaft, afriction device carried by the friction rod, a driving slide, a. drivingfinger on the slide shiftable into and out of operative engagement witha selected carrier rod, means connecting the slide to be driven by thefriction device, and automatic means for shifting the driving fingerbetween carrier rod engaging and inoperative positions, said automaticmeans including a connection operable to shift the driving finger to aninoperative position to one side of said parallel carrier rods and outof the path of movement of all of ported thereby. a reciprocatingfriction rod, and

the yarns extending downwardly to said several yarn guides.

7. In a flat knitting machine having'a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods arranged in parallel relationship, and yarn guides supportedthereby, a reciprocating friction rod, and a rotating main cam shaft, afriction device carried by the friction rod, a driving slide, aplurality of driving lingers pivotally supported on the slide formovement between operative position in driving engagement with selectedcarrier rods and inoperative positions wholly to one side of saidparallel carrier rods, a connecting arm pivotally supported on the slidedetachable connecting the friction deviceand the driving slide,automatic means to permit the connecting arm to engage the frictiondevice during a traverse of the latter, and automatic means for shiftingthe driving fingers selectively between said inoperative and operativepositions including a pattern device iixedly supported lengthwise of themachine,

and actuating connections between said pattern device and said fingersincluding rock shafts extending parallel to the direction of movement ofthe driving slide, and actuating connections with said driving fingersdisposed for constant riding engagement with said rock shafts.

8. In a flat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods arranged in parallel relation in a bank, and yarn guides supportedon each of said rods for guiding said yarns from the supply through thebank adjacent their supporting carrier rods for feeding said yarns inparallel non-conflicting paths, a reciprocating friction rod and arotating main cam shaft, a carrier rod driving and control devicecomprising a driving slide frictionally driven by said friction rod, adriving nger pivoted on said slide at one side of said bank for swingingmovement between a driving position against an associated carrier rodand a raised inoperative position at one side of the carrier rods andwholly removed from the path of movement of the knitting yarns extendingto all of the yarn guides, pattern means and connections controlledthereby for shifting the driving finger from one to the other of saidpositions including spring means for moving said finger against thecarrier rod and positively acting means for raising said finger.

9. In a flat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocable carrierrods arranged in parallel relation in a bank, and yarn guides supportedon each of said rods for guiding said yarns from the supply through thebank adjacent their sup-- porting carrier rods for feeding said yarns inparallel non-conflicting paths, a reciprocating friction rod and a.'rotating main cam shaft, a carrier rod driving and control devicecomprising a driving slide frictionally driven by said friction rod, aplurality of driving fingers pivoted on said slide at one side of saidbank for swinging movement between a driving position against associatedcarrier rods and raised inoperative positions at one side of the carrierrods and wholly removed from the pathv of movement of the knitting yarnsextending to all of the yarn guides, pattern means and connectionscontrolled thereby for automatically selectively shifting the drivingfingers from one to the other of said positions including spring meansfor moving said fingers against their associated carrier rods andpositively acting means for raising s aid fingers.

10. In a fiat knitting machine having a plurality of reciprocablecarrier rods arranged in parallel relation in a bank, and 'yarn guidessupported on each of said rods for guiding said yarns from the supplythrough the bank adjacent their supporting carrier rods for feeding saidyarns in parallel non-conflicting paths, a, reciprocating friction rodand a rotating main cam shaft, a carrier rod driving and control devicecomprising a driving slide frictionally driven by said friction rod, adriving nger pivoted on said slide at one side of said bank for swingingmovement between a driving position against an associated carrier rodand a raised inoperative posi- 'tion at one side of the carrier rods andwholly removed from the path of movement of the knitting yarns extendingto all of the yarn guides,

and automatic means for shifting the driving linger including a patterndevice flxedly supported lengthwise of the machine, spring means foryieldingly engaging the iinger against the associated carrier rod, andactuating connections between the pattern device and the nger forpositively raising the nger including a rackable member extendingparallel to the path of movement of the driving slide, and an actuatingconnection with the driving finger disposed for constant ridingengagement with said rackable member.

ARNOLD FRIEDRICH VERBEEK

